Lyft and States Partner to Encourage Responsible Road Use

California, Illinois, Louisiana, North Dakota and Washington receive funds and ride-hailing service credits for holiday campaigns

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and Lyft have awarded State Highway Safety Offices in five states more than $85,000 in grant funds and Lyft ride credits to support campaigns that deter impaired road use this holiday season.

The holidays are a time for celebration, which also means an increase in the number of impaired drivers out on the roads. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly one in four weekend drivers tested positive for at least one drug that could impair their driving skills and 885 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver during the month of December 2017.

This is the first year of a state grant program funded by Lyft and administered by GHSA providing a combination of cash grants and ride credits that can be used toward discounts on Lyft fares. The goal of the program is to encourage road users to use a ride-hailing service to travel when they are impaired, rather than putting themselves or others at risk.

"Lyft's mission is to improve people's lives with the world's best transportation, and that includes helping to keep everyone on the roads safe," said Ed Hutchison, Road Safety Partnerships Manager at Lyft. "We're thrilled to partner with the Governors Highway Safety Association and these five State Highway Safety Offices to help people remember to plan smart alternatives, such as Lyft, to help them safely reach their destinations during the holidays."

State grant activities include the following:

A new “Go Safely California” campaign from the California Office of Traffic Safety will raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medications. A digital promotion in Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego will encourage individuals to plan a sober ride home by using the Lyft app and a special code for a discounted ride to get them home safely.

The Illinois Department of Transportation will work with law enforcement across the state to provide Lyft discount codes for free round-trip night-time rides during the last two weeks of the year. Codes will be offered to individuals who follow selected law enforcement agencies on Twitter and retweet the agency with a campaign hashtag.

Two new advertisements developed by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission will address alcohol- and drug-impaired driving, with a message highlighting using ride-hailing services as a commonsense alternative. Lyft credits will provide discounted rides to individuals who engage with the ads.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation will focus on reaching individuals in and around six population centers. Campaign ads will display to people in those areas consuming online content about restaurants, bars and weekend events, while Lyft reminder messages will be sent to the mobile devices of users who have previously engaged with the campaign if they are at bars and restaurants in the geo-targeted areas on evenings and weekends.

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission will activate two pop-up “Lyft Lounges” as part of its “Plan Before You Party” campaign. Lounges will be located outside of popular liquor or marijuana stores in Seattle and Spokane and will be promoted through social media and partnerships with community activists. Discounted Lyft rides and giveaways will be available at the Lyft Lounges and other distribution points, along with educational materials.

“The holidays should be a time of celebration, but far too many families instead have to face the loss of a loved one due to impaired road use,” said GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. “Ride-hailing services are an easy alternative to impaired driving and we are excited to partner with Lyft on this effort to provide resources that will help ensure the safety of all road users.

Updates on state campaign activities funded by these grants will be shared on GHSA’s social media accounts and website in the coming months.

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About GHSA

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy, enhance program management and promote best practices. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans. Contact GHSA at 202-789-0942 or visit www.ghsa.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GHSAhq or follow us on Twitter @GHSAHQ.

About Lyft

Lyft was founded in 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation. Lyft is available to 96 percent of the United States population as well as select cities in Ontario, Canada. Lyft is preferred for its commitment to effecting positive change for our cities, and promoting transportation equity through shared rides, electric bikes and scooters, and public transit partnerships. Lyft is the only rideshare company to offset carbon emissions from all rides.